Liverpool midfielder confirms emotional Anfield exit with a post on Instagram

James Balagizi has officially confirmed that his long association with Liverpool has come to an end, bringing an 11-year chapter at Anfield to a close.

The 22-year-old midfielder joined the Reds at Under-11 level and progressed through the academy, but a first-team breakthrough never quite arrived.

His departure had already been signalled earlier this summer, when Liverpool included him among the academy players set to leave following the expiry of their contracts.

Balagizi says goodbye to Liverpool in heartfelt message

Balagizi confirmed the news on Instagram on Monday, posting an emotional message reflecting on more than a decade at the club.

‘From 11 to 22, it’s been an honour to represent this special club throughout a large part of my life. I’m so grateful and fortunate for all of the experiences I’ve had over the years. A massive thank you to everyone who has been on this journey alongside me – teammates, coaches and staff.

‘This is a period I’ll always look back on fondly, with many ups, downs and lessons learned. Hopefully, I can use all of these experiences to help shape the rest of my professional career. I’d also like to thank everyone who has supported me in any capacity. YNWA ❤️’

‘From 11 to 22, it’s been an honour to represent this special club throughout a large part of my life. I’m so grateful and fortunate for all of the experiences I’ve had over the years. A massive thank you to everyone who has been on this journey alongside me – teammates, coaches and staff.

‘This is a period I’ll always look back on fondly, with many ups, downs and lessons learned. Hopefully, I can use all of these experiences to help shape the rest of my professional career. I’d also like to thank everyone who has supported me in any capacity. YNWA ❤️’

Balagizi’s path included loan spells with Crawley Town, Wigan Athletic, Kilmarnock and Forest Green Rovers. Liverpool’s official website noted that he made 16 appearances and scored three goals for Crawley during the first half of the 2022-23 season.

He was also named on the Liverpool senior bench twice, while featuring in the Under-18 side that reached the 2021 FA Youth Cup final.

A fresh start maybe exactly what Balagizi needs

Balagizi’s Liverpool career is a reminder of just how difficult the final step from academy football to the first team can be.

He was once regarded as one of the more promising players in the youth setup, but injuries and disrupted loan spells prevented him from building consistent momentum.

His most recent loan at Forest Green was cut short in January, and Liverpool confirmed he returned after spending the first half of the 2025-26 season there.

Interestingly, Balagizi was still training at the AXA Training Centre in July after his contract had technically expired, with Liverpool continuing to support his fitness while he searched for his next move.

At 22, though, there is still plenty of time for him to rebuild elsewhere.